Surface leveling apparatus



C. E- GIF'FORD ET AL SURFACE LEVELING APPARATUS Sept. 22, 19533? 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1948 INVENTOR. cm YTOA/ 5 e/rroea ,e'm Mow m a 2 p 1953 c. 'E. GIFFORD ETAL 2,

SURFACE LEVELING APPARATUS Filed March 30. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V E TOR.

PAIYMQND 4 662 68 A TTOEA EV p 1953 c. E. GIF'FORD ET AL SURFACE LEVELING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 30, 1948 INVEJVTOR.

CZ/JYTOA/ f GIFFOED EAYMOND M (156(69 Patented Sept. 22, 1953 SURFACE LEVELING APPARATUS Clayton E, Gifford and Raymond W. Keeler, Marion, Ohio, assignors to lhe Huber Mann-- facturing Company, Marion, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application -March 30, 1948, Serial No. 17,934 I 13 Claims.

hisinventien relates toa surface levelin apparatu nd is desi ne primarily for leveling the surfa e of the berm at the side of a road,

Theberm should have a smooth surface substantially flushl at ,i sinner. ed e, with h s rface f the road'and should hav a s ig tly downward. slop iromthev road. The main p rp se f the invention is t provide an appa atus suita for th init al gradingand levelin of the berm andtfior restoring. h sameto vits proper form when it has been ro ghened or otherwise marred, 815.; by; theWeather or by vehicles passing over heberm when it is inja softened condition.

t is-also an bieetof the inv ntion o provideen apparatus whi h will level the surfac of. theberm and at the same tim establish the surface in prQBBr relation-tothe sur ace of the road,.,

A further object oi-the invention is to provide su h an appara us tha will remove f om the .ia ent surface o t e r d lo se mater al hat ha b en mcved nte-the same y the leveling peraion, and which will leave the adjacen rfa of the road clean,

A further object of. the invention is to pr vide s ehan apparatus which may be attached to an propelled by existing vehicles of. various kind Afurther object of the invention i to proide such anapnaratus which m y b adjusted to operate on either the left hand side or the right hand sid f t p pell g vehicl Other. obje ts of he invention may appear as he apparatus. is described in detail.

In th acc mpanying drawings Fig, l is a plan view of a reads rap r; equipp d with the invehtie Fig.2 is a rear elevation of a levelin d ice; Fig. 3 is a top plan vi w of the eveling d vice and its supporting mechanism; Fig. is a sectien tak n on. the l n .4 of Fig, Fig. 5 is a section taken the line 55 of Fi 3; Fig- 6 is a sect on taken on the he t of. Fig- .8; F 7 is. a side elevaticn e the level n device n it s inpcrt ec an sm; Fig: 8 is a re r e vation ofthe cleaning element, partly in section on line 8-3 of Fig, 3; and ,Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In these drawings we have illustrated one embodiment of the invention and have shown the same as particularly adapted for leveling and maintaining the berm Ill of a road l l but it is to be understood "that the apparatus may take vari us t rms. nd may be usedior various purposes. Theapparatus isher hown in conne tion Witha s li-prepell d road s rap r compri .ing a frame l2,,'r ar t action iih els .1 and front 2 steering wheels 14, but it will be obvious that the apparatus may be mounted on or propelled by vehicles of various kinds. Mounted on and supported below the frame of the vehicle is a scraper blade l5 which extends obliquely to the line of movement of the vehicle and is of such length that the end portion thereof may extend over the adjacent surface of the road ll along which the vehicle travels as it moves over the berm l0. Connected with the scraper blade adjacent the projecting end thereof is a gathering device which is adapted to move over the surface of the road near the edge thereof andis here shown as a vertical plate [6 hinged to the scraper at H, extending forwardly therefrom substantially parallel with the line of movement of the vehicle, and having its forward edge connected with an inner portionof the scraper, as by a tie rod, or rods, E8, the ends of the rodvbeing connected with the gathering blade and the scraper by nuts I Q which enable it to be adjusted about its hinged connection if desired. When the vehicle is moving along and close tothe edge of the road the gatheringblade will be positioned close to the surface of the road and spaced a short distance from the edge thereof, and earth or other material loosened by the scraper will accumulate in the triangular space between the scraper and the blade l6 and will be carried forward by the scraper. Portions of the material thus carried forward by the gathering device will enter and fill low places or depressions in the- "berm along the edge of the road.

Supported in the rear of the vehicle is a leveling device including a rigid elongate member extending transversely to the line of movement of the vehicle such as a channel bar 2B. This bar and the several parts mounted thereon,. as will inafter app ar, s m un d on t e f me o the vehicle and is spaced rearwardly therefrom. The bar may be connected with the vehicle in any suitable manner. In the present instance brackets 2! are rigidly secured to the frame l2 adjacent the respective tra-ck wheels and project rearvvardly slightly beyond the frame. These brackets are here shown as substantially U-- shaped in cross section and are rigidly secured to the frame, as by bolts 22. Mounted between the side portions of the respective brackets are alined bearings 23 and rotatably mounted in these bearings is a shaft 24; Mounted on and rigidly secured to the shaft 2 4 are a pair of arms 25 which converge rearwardly. A second pair ofarms 25 are mounted on the brackets below and in substantially the same vertical plane with the shaft 24 as by mounting the same on the inner ends of bolts 21 extending through the respective brackets, as best shown in Fig. 6. The lower pair of arms 26 also converge rearwardly and the rear ends of the two pairs of arms are arranged one above the other. Also mounted on the shaft 24 on the outer sides of the arms 25 are two other arms 28 and 25 which diverge rearwardly from the shaft and have their outer ends spaced from but in substantial alinement with the rear ends of the arms 25. A supporting member, or hanger, Si is mounted on the rear ends of the arms 25 and 26, preferably by inserting the forward edge thereof between the end portions of the two pairs of arms and securing the same therein by bolts 3!, see Fig. 4. The supporting member extends rearwardly from the arms and has at its rear end a downwardly extending part 32 which is connected with and supports the bar 26 of the leveling device. When, as in the present instance, the bar is in the nature of a channel bar the downwardly extending part 32 of the supporting member is provided with a forwardly extending part 33 which extends into the channel bar and is secured therein. Preferably the connection between the supporting member and the bar is such that the bar may be adjusted about a vertical axis, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Therefore, the part 33 of the supporting member is provided with a vertical bearing 34 and is secured to the bar by a bolt 35 extending through the bearing and through the upper and lower flanges of the bar. Preferably the part 35:3

of the supporting member is of a vertical width less than the distance between the flanges of the channel bar so that the bar can be adjusted vertically with relation to the supporting member. To retain the bar in its adjusted position with relation to the supporting member, adjustable members, such as blocks 36, are adjustably mounted on the upright portion 32 of the supporting member and are adapted to engage respectively the upper and lower surfaces of the upper flange of the bar and thus support the bar in a position determined by the adjustment of the blocks. In the present instance the blocks are secured to the supporting member by bolts 3'! extending through vertical slots 38 in the supporting member.

A second supporting member, or hanger, 39 is pivotally connected to one of the rearwardly diverging arms 28 and 29, in the present instance the arm 23. The connection is preferably a pivotal one and is here shown as a bolt 4-8 extending through the arm and the upper end of the supporting member 39. A bracing arm 4i is pivotally connected at its forward end with the adjacent bracket 2 i, as by mounting the same on the outer end portion of the bolt 21, and is pivotally connected at its forward end with the supporting member 39, below the point of connection of the latter with the arm 28, as by a bolt 42. The supporting member 39 extends rearwardly from the frame a distance less than does the supporting member 38 and has at its lower end a forwardly extending part 43 which extends between the flanges of the bar and is provided with a bearing 44 through which extends a bolt 45 which con nects the same with the flanges of the bar. The forwardly extending part 43 of the supporting member 39 is of a vertical width slightly less than the distance between the flanges of the bar so as to permit a tilting of the bar with relation to the hanger when an intermediate portion of the bar is vertically adjusted with relation to the hanger '4 3|], thus the bar 20 and. the leveling device as a whole may be supported in a horizontal position or in a slightly inclined position.

The connection between the suporting member 39 and the frame of the vehicle being spaced from the frame a less distance than is the connection between the supporting member 30 and the bar, the bar is supported in a position oblique to the line of movement of the vehicle and in the present instance that end of the bar adjacent the left hand side of the vehicle is foremost. However, the pivotal connection between the supporting member 30 and the bar enables the bar to be moved about the axis of the bolt 35 to move the right hand end thereof to foremost position, when the left hand end of the bar has been dis connected from the frame. In the arrangement here shown the left hand end of the bar may be disconnected from the frame by disconnecting the supporting member 39 from the arm 28, by the removal of the bolt 49, and disconnecting the bracing arm M from the bracket 2 l. The supporting member is then disconnected from the left hand end of the bar, by removing the bolt 45, and is moved to and connected with the right hand end of the bar by passing the bolt through openings in the flanges of the bar, one of which is shown at 46. When the supporting member has been so connected with the right hand end of the bar it is connected at its upper end with the outer bar 29 and the brace bar 41 is connected with the right hand bracket 2!. Thus the bar and the leveling device as a whole may be supported in an oblique position with relation to the line of movement of the vehicle with either end foremost and it is often desirable to so reverse the position of the leveling device with relation to the line of movement of the vehicle, as when doing boulevard work.

The bar 20 is provided at its lower edge with a surface engaging part. This part may be an integral part of the bar but when the bar is of channel shape a separate surface engaging member 41 is secured to the forward face of the bar and extends downwardly therefrom and the lower continuous member but in the present instance that portion thereof which extends beyond the bar 20 is separate from the surface engaging member 41 and the member 41 has its ends spaced from both ends of the bar but is of a length approximating the width of the vehicle. In the present construction a member 48 is rigidly secured to that end of the bar 20 which extends beyond the surface engaging member 41, as by bolts 49. The outer end portion 50 of the member 48 is bent forwardly, as best shown in Fig. 3, to a position substantially parallel with the vehicle and spaced a substantial distance from the edge of the road. Rigidly secured to the lower portion of the member 48 is a surface engaging member 5| which forms in effect a continuation of the surface engaging member 47. If desired the forwardly extending portion of the member 48 may be provided with a shoe 52 which rests upon the road surface and is here shown as connected with the surface engaging member 5| mesa-s42 by; an anglebar- 53: bolted .botb; to the shoe and tozthe member 5|;

The forwardly. extending part 5|l=ofzthelevelin deviceisspaced from theedgelof ztheiroa'd slight- 1y further thanithe gathering :member-;l6=-is spaced fromtheedge otthe. road and consequently the member .48; extends zacrossythez edg'ewof the road and asit moves forwardly levels. the :surface of the berm substantially-flush with the-edge of the pavement; and the forwardly: extending part '50 :thereof engagesrloosematerialon. the adjacent portionof the road surface and removes the same from the. road. surface. Howeventhe member 48-59 will not wipe the surface. ofythe road clean, as .it may ,passoven-fine material without removing the same. In order :to adequately clean the surface of the road by removing all such materialtherefrcmzwehave provided a cleaning element which "extends across-the adjacent edges of the berm rand theroadinxthe rear of the member 43-591 andengages thesurface of the road with a wiping action whichjwill effectively remove therefromnvendust. Asbest shown inFigs. 3,: 8 and :9 a plate 54 isrigidly secured 'toand extends rearwardly; from the bar 20 and pivotally mounted onthe plate 54$ is a second plate 55 provided at its; rear edge'with two vertical tubular guides 56.. Slidably mounted in: .the respective guides are two rods 51 which are rigidly secured at theirlowerends to ra cleaner plate 58 coiled springs 59 being interposedbetween thelower ends of the guides and the upper edge .oflthe plate to yieldablylurge the latter downwardly. Secured to the lower edge of the plate is: a strip of: flexible :material 60 adapted to move over the surfacesof the berm and the road with a wiping action and thus efiectively clean the same. A tension spring 61 connected withthe platefia and with the bar 20 at the outer side of the pivotal axis of the plate adrholds the forward surface of the cleaner plate 58 against the edge of the plate '54 and ryieldably resists the movement of the platesxfifiand 56 about the pivotal axis of the former.

The arrangementnf thelplatei EST-5B :is such that. when the position of the bar ztwisreversed to locate the right handrend ofthe leveling device foremost, the plate 48- -59 may lee-removed from the left. hand end of .the bar, by removing the bolts ts, then turnedendufor end :and inverted and secured to the righthand end of the bar inthe same manner that it was formerly secured to the left hand end thereofand with the part to extending .forwardly'parallel with the vehiolex Ofcourse, the 'surfaiceengaging member 5! must be removed and. secured to the opposite edge ofithe memben l8-5lk tha re versal of the. position of the members! also re versing the position of the shoe52.

While we have shownand-describedone em bodimentv oi ourlinventionwe wish-it to be understood that we do notdesire to :be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fullrdescribed our invention what we claim as newand desire to secure by- Letters Patent is t. p

1. In a berm leveling apparatus a supporting structure,- means for-mounting said structure on the rear end portion of a vehicle for movement about a horizontal axis, means-for controlling the. movement of said structure aboutsaid-axis, saidstructure comprising two pairs of rearwardly extending arms; eachpair of arms having inner and outer end portions spaced-laterallyionefrom the other; anrelongate leveling device extrudin transversely 'tos'the;line----of:movementof. said vehicle;:a hanger, secured to the rear portions of the: innerarms of;the :two pairs of arms, means for connecting 'anzin-termediate. portion of said leveling. device with :said hanger, and means including a single detachable hanger for selectively connectingzthe end :portions of said leveling de vice withthe outer'arms of the respective pairs of ar ms,sa third pairof arms connected with the: first,mentionedhanger and means for pivotallyimounting said third pair of arms on said vehicle on an'axis parallel with. and below the axisof the two firstmentioned pairs of. arms.

2.1111 la-berm leveling apparatus, a supporting structure havingmeans whereby it may be mounted :on the rear end portion of a vehicle in rearwardly'i extending relation thereto, and including laterally spaced side portions and an intermediate portion, an-elongate leveling device comprising a channelbar extending, transversely tothe'line of movement ofsaid vehicle and having rearwardlyrextendin runner and lower flanges, a hanger s d. :tov the intermediate portion of said supporting structure, extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom and having a lower portion extendin forwardly between the flanges of said bar; at least-one additional hanger hav ing-means' for-securing same to aside portion of said supporting:structure ineforwardly spaced relation to said lower portion of the first mentioned hanger, and-zhavingxa-lower portion ex tending forwardly between: the flanges of said bar; the; forwardlyuextending portions, of each hanger being of, a vertical dimension-less than the-distance between the flanges of said barand having a vertical opening therethrough, pivot pins extending through said openings in said portions of the respective hangers and mounted in said-flanges, and adjustable means for retain ing thefcrwardly extending part; of the first mentioned hangcrdn a selected position with re lation to said flanges.

3. In a berm leveling: apparatus, a supporting structure ihavingameans-whereby it maybe mounted :on the rear end portion of a vehicle in rearwardlyextending relation thereto, a leveling barisupported on-saidsupporting structure in a position -oblique to'thelline otmovement of said vehicle; said bar having-at its lower edge an elongate surface-engaging member, both ends of which are spacedfromithe, respective ends of saidbaLand-a second surface engaging member having a forwardlyextending. portion and a portion rigid rwithrand at an angle to. the first mentionedflportion whereby, it may be secured to eitherend-of said, barv beyond the adjacent end of the first mentioned surface engaging member and with said forwardly extending portion spaced laterally from the-path, of said vehicle.

4. In a berm leveling apparatus, a supporting structure having means whereby it may be mounted on theirear end portion of a vehicle in rearwardly extending relation thereto, a leveling bar supported on said supporting structure in. a position oblique; to the line of movement of said; vehicle a supplemental surface engaging member pivotallysupported on said barv adjacentthe foremost end thereof, extending lengthwise ofsaid-bar and extending laterally beyond the path ofsaid vehicle. andresilient means for yieldably holding said/supplemental surface engaging member substantially parallel to said bar, said yieldableimeans permitting yielding movement of said supplemental surface engaging member both angularly with respect to the direction of movement of the leveling apparatus and vertically to compensate for irregularities.

5. In a berm leveling apparatus, a supporting structure having means whereby it may be: mounted on the rear end portion of a vehicle in rearwardly extending relation thereto, a leveling bar supported on said. supporting structure in a. position oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle, means for supporting said oblique bar with either end thereof foremost, a supplemental surface engaging member having a length less than half the length of the leveling bar, means for detachably supporting said supplemental surface engaging member on and in rearwardly spaced relation to the end portion of said bar which is foremost, said last mentioned means including resilient means for permitting angular adjustment of said supplemental surface engag ing member both horizontally and vertically.

6. In a berm level ng apparatus, a supporting structure having means whereby it may be mounted on the rear end portion of a vehicle in rearwardly extending relation thereto, a level ing bar supported on said supporting structure. in a position oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle, said bar having at its lower edge an elongate surface engaging member, both ends of which are spaced from the respective ends of said bar, and a second surface engaging member having a forwardly extending portion and hav-- ing means whereby it may be secured to either end of said bar beyond the adjacent end of the first mentioned surface engaging member and with said forwardly extending portion spaced laterally from the path of said vehicle, a third surface engaging member having a flexible lower portion, and means for detachably mounting said third surface engaging member on either end portion of said bar in the rear thereof and with its outer end portion slightly beyond the forwardly extending portion of said second surface engaging member.

7. In a berm leveling apparatus, a supporting structure having means whereby it may be mounted on the rear end portion of a vehicle in rearwardly extending relation thereto, a leveling bar supported on said supporting structure in a position oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle, means for supporting said oblique bar with either end thereof foremost, a supplemental surface engaging member, and means for detachably supporting said surface engaging member on and in rearwardly and substantially parallel spaced relation to the end portion of said bar which is foremost for movement about a vertical axis, and means for yieldably resisting that movement.

8. In a berm leveling mechanism, a vehicle including a frame and wheels supporting said frame, a plurality of upper arms pivotally mounted on said frame, extending rearwardly therefrom and spaced laterally one from the other, a plurality of lower arms pivotally mounted on said frame, extending rearwardly therefrom and spaced laterally one from the other, a leveling device extending transversely to said vehicle in the rear thereof, and two upright supporting members each connected with the corresponding upper and lower arms and with said leveling device, one of said supporting members extending rearwardly beyond the other supporting member, whereby said leveling device is supported in a position oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle.

' 9. In a berm leveling apparatus, an'upper supporting structure having means whereby it may be mounted on a vehicle in rearwardly extend- :ing relation thereto for movement about a horizontal axis and including laterally spaced side members and an intermediate member, a lower supporting structure having means whereby it ,may be mounted on said vehicle for movement about an axis below and parallel with the axis of said upper supporting structure and having a part extending rearwardly below said intermediate member of said upper structure, an elongate leveling device extending transversely to the line of movement of said vehicle, a hanger connected with said intermediate upper supporting member and with said lower supporting member and having a part extending rearwardly beyond said side supporting members, means for pivotally connecting said intermediate portion of said leveling device with said part of said hanger with said leveling device in either of two positions oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle, and a single detachable hanger for connecting the foremost end of said leveling device with the adjacent side mamber of said upper supporting structure when said leveling device is in either of said oblique positions.

10. A berm leveling mechanism for attachment to the frame of a vehicle, comprising an elongate leveling device adapted to be supported in the rear of said vehicle in a position oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle with either end thereof foremost, two pairs of rearwardly diverging arms arranged in a common plane and mounted on said frame for movement about a common axis, a pair of arms converging rearwardly below adjacent arms of said pairs of arms and supported on said frame for movement about an axis parallel with and below the first mentioned axis, a hanger connected with the rear ends of the inner arms of said two pairs of arms and with the rear ends of said converging arms, the lower portion of said hanger having supporting connection with an intermediate portion of said leveling device, a second hanger having means whereby it may be detachably connected with the rear portion of either of the outer arms of said two pairs of arms and with said leveling device on either side of and in spaced relation to the first mentioned hanger.

11. A berm leveling mechanism for attachment to the frame of a vehicle, comprising an elongate leveling device adapted to be supported in the rear of said vehicle in a position oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle with either end thereof foremost, two arms mounted on and converging rearwardly from said frame, an upright supporting member connected at its upper end with said arms, means for connecting an intermediate portion of said leveling device with the lower portion of said supporting member for movement about a substantially vertical axis with relation thereto, other arms mounted on said frame and extending rearwardly therefrom on the outer sides of and substantially in the same plane with the two first mentioned arms, a second upright supporting member having means whereby it may be detachably connected with either of the last mentioned arms, said second supporting member also having means whereby it may be detachably connected with either end portion of said oblique leveling device at a point spaced from said frame a distance less than the distance said central portion of said leveling device is spaced from said frame.

12. In a berm leveling mechanism, a vehicle including a frame andwheels supporting said frame, an elongate leveling device adapted to be supported in the rear of said vehicle in a position oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle with either end thereof foremost, two upper reartvardly converging arms mounted on said frame for movement about a transverse axis, two lower rearwardly converging arms mounted on said frame for movement about an axis below and parallel with the first mentioned axis, an upright supporting member pivotally connected with the rear ends of said upper and lower arms, means for connecting the central portion of said leveling device with the lower end of said supporting memher for movement about a vertical axis with relation thereto, other rearwardly extending arms mounted on said frame for movement about the axis of said upper arms, a second upright supporting member having means whereby it may be pivotally and 'detachably connected with either of the last mentioned arms and also having means whereby it may be detachably connected with said leveling device on either side of the first mentioned supporting member at a point spaced irom said frame a distance less than said central portion of said leveling device is spaced from said frame, and means for simultaneously moving said arms about said axes.

13. In a berm leveling mechanism, a vehicle including a frame and wheels supporting said frame, an elongate leveling device adapted to be supported in the rear of said vehicle in a position oblique to the line of movement of said vehicle with either end thereof foremost, upper and lower pairs of rearwardiy converging arms mounted on said frame for movement about transverse axes, an upright supporting member pivotally connected with the rear ends of both pairs of arms, means for connecting the central portion of said leveling device with the lower end of said supporting member for movement about a vertical axis with relation thereto, other rearwardly extending arms mounted on said frame for movement about the axis of said upper pair of arms, a second up- .jright supporting member having means whereby it may be pivotally and detachably connected with either of the last mentioned arms, and also having means whereby it may be detachably connected with said leveling device on either side of the first mentioned supporting member at a point spaced from said frame a distance less than said central portion of said leveling device is spaced from said frame, a brace arm having means whereby it may be detachably connected with said frame on either side of said lower pair of arms for movement about the axis of the latter and also having means whereby it'may be conriected with said second supporting member when the latter is on either side of said first mentioned supporting member.

' CLAYTON E. GIFFORD.

RAYMOND W. KEELER.

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